《书目》(Booklist)书评
Black Authors and Illustrators of Books for Children and Young Adults offers 274 biographical sketches in its third edition. Each entry is arranged alphabetically by author's and illustrator's surname. Those using pen names are listed accordingly, with the pen name as the entry heading. The selection of writers was based on a questionnaire sent to publishers, and on to authors and illustrators. Much-studied writers such as Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Alice Walker are included, along with such popular and prolific contemporary figures as Walter Dean Myers and Jerry Pinckney; and Mahji Hall and Nancy B. Williams, for each of whom only a single book is listed. Each entry ranges in length from a paragraph to two pages and includes such information as year and place of birth, influences, approaches to writing and or illustrating, achievements, awards, and a selected bibliography of works. Photographs of the authors or illustrators are included when available. An appendix of sample book covers and jackets is included, followed by an appendix listing books that have received awards or honors. An alphabetical listing by state of bookstores and distributors provides the user with an added resource for acquiring books that are cited in the text. Two indexes complete the volume, one an alphabetical listing of included books by title and the other an alphabetical listing of included authors and illustrators. Librarians who are familiar with this resource will be glad to see it updated. It covers some writers not included in other reference works; only 17 are also found in the recent Lives and Works: Young Adult Authors [RBB My 1 99], for example. Although the sketches are brief in many instances, the volume provides a beginning resource guide for the young-adult researcher. An inexpensive but important tool for public libraries and elementary-and middle-school collections.